Travel Grants

So you’ve been accepted as a presenter at a conference, or you just want to go to further your knowledge of the field. This FAQ lays out the process for getting funding.

To Do List / Overview

Apply to volunteer at your conference

Apply for grants.

Apply for matching funds from the Dean of the Engineering College.

Ask your advisor if they will cover any costs not covered by above funding.

Fill out a DA (Departmental Authorization) form to authorize spending if required by funding source.

Book travel.

Save all receipts for hotels, flights, and other transportation.

It is not required to save food receipts.

Tip at most 20% on taxis/Lyft/Uber. Larger tips will not be reimbursed per university policy.

Conference Volunteering

Many conferences provide reduced price or free conference registration for student volunteers. Usually, they have more students applying to be volunteers than volunteer positions, so be sure to apply early.

Some conferences or professional societies (like IEEE) also offer travel grants for student presenters. Check on the conference website. They usually post links to all available programs.

Grants

Apply for all the grants that you are eligible for to cover as much of your travel expenses as possible. One grant typically will not cover all your expenses.

There are four main sources of travel grants available to CS graduate students. Click grant titles to expand.

Must have applied for the Graduate School Travel Grant and have been denied

Must be receiving funding from the department or your advisor

Students can receive funding once per year

Advisor Funding

Your advisor may also be able to provide funding though a grant, especially if the paper you are presenting is grant funded. Talk with your advisor about available funding and the travel grants that you are applying for.

Departmental Authorization Request Form (DA)

Check with Rajshree about whether you should submit a Departmental Authorization Request Form for your travel. This is the form is REQUIRED if you are funded by your advisor.

This form is basically a budget for your travel. You need it to get reimbursed for out-of-pocket expenses and after it’s approved you’ll be able to book your flights using the university’s travel agency

Wait to book flights and hotels until after the DA is approved!

Booking Travel

If you use a DA, you are required to book your flights using the university’s travel agency, Christopherson Business Travel. Once your DA is approved, you’ll receive an email with information for how to book with them.

Save all receipts for hotels, flights, and other transportation. You’ll give these to the department (or whoever is giving you your travel grant) at the end of your travel to get reimbursed. Usually, digital photos of receipts are sufficient and can be easier to keep track of.

Tip at most 20% on taxis/Lyft/Uber. Larger tips will not be reimbursed per university policy.

Estimating Per Diem Rates

Food expenses are calculated using per diem rates, so you don’t need to save meal receipts.